Game apparatus.



1?. G. WEGENER.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. s 1908.

Patented July 19, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. G. WEGENBR. GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILE-D SEPT. 5 1908.

a SHEETS-SHEET a.

Patented July 19,

r: mamas PETERS C0,, WASHINGTON, n. c.

GAME APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. WEGENER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa have invented a certain new and useful dame Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a game apparatus of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, especially designed for use in connection with playing cards, and so arranged that when operated a certain number of cards will be displayed to the: exclusion of the other cards in the series and that the card thus displayed will be arbitrarily changed upon each operation of the apparatus.

A further object is to provide means for automatically counting the various operations of the apparatus so that the owner of the machine may, at a glance, determine how many times the apparatus has been operated by a particular player and how many different combinations of cards said player has caused to appear at the opening in the apparatus.

1 My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set. forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a top or plan view of a device embodying my .invention with part of the cover broken away to show the internal construction. Fig. 2 shows a central, longitudinal, sectional view of same. Fig. 3 shows an enlarged, detail View, partly in section, illustrating the means for actuating the counter shaft. The dotted lines in said figure show the position of the body portion when depressed by the operator, and Fig. 4 shows a rear end elevation illustrating the arrangement of the parts of the counting mechanism.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate a base upon which is erected a standard 11. Pivotally mounted within the standard is a plate 12, the upward movement of said plate being limited by a shoulder 13 on, the standard 11. I have provided for normally holding the plate 12 at its upper limit of movement by means of a spring 14 having a coil portion therein wound upon a pin Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 5, 1908.

Patented July 19, 1910. Serial No. 451,849.

15 in the standard and having its free upper end in engagement with the plate 12. Fixed to the plate 12 is the body portion of the apparatus which comprises a rectangular box 16 having a hinged'cover 17. The bot tom of the box is preferably provided with a sheet 18, preferably of rubber, and near the outer end of the bottom portion is a sllioulder 19 for purposes hereinafter made 0 car.

Adjacent to the inner or lower end of the box is a stationary cover section 20 having a transverse opening therein extending across the box, which opening is protected by a glass 21. Arranged longitudinally within the box is a series of partitions 22 extend ing from one end to the other, and, mounted in each of the spaces formed by the partitions, is a disk 23 having its periphery divided into a number of flat surfaces 24, and between the flat surfaces are the transverse, rounded ribs 25. Formed on or fixed to each of the fiat surfaces 24 is a card 26. These cards may, if desired, be of the kind commonly known as playing cards. I pref erably provide enough of said fiat surfaces to accommodate an entire deck of playing ;cards, although, obviously, the number of disks and the number of faces on each disk may be varied at will without departing from the spirit of the invention. The apparatus is also designed to be used in connection with other cards, symbols or the like, instead of playing cards.

In practical operation with this part of the device it is obvious that when the body portion has its free end in an elevated position, as shown in Fig. 2, all of the disks will be at the bottom of the box and each disk will he in position with one of its flat surfaces arranged under the transverse opening in the cover of the box. All of the flat surfaces that are Visible through the glass 21 will be arranged accurately in line because the rounded ribs 25 on the disks will stand in engagement with the stationary cover section 20 at the lower edge of the slot in said cover section, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. When the operator depresses the outer end of the box, all of the disks will roll by gravity toward the outer end. WVhen said disks strike the raised shoulder 19, they will bounce upwardly in the box and turn over, either more or less of a complete revolution, before the disks strike against the upper end of the box. By means of the shoulder 19 and the ribs 25, thedisks are prevented from rolling uniformly from one end of the box to the other and are thereby prevented from successively presenting the same surfaces at the glass 21, as might possibly be the case if the bottom 18 upon which the disks roll was smooth and uniform throughout. Therefore, when the operator presses downwardly upon the outer end of the box and then releases it, he causes all of the disks to move first toward the outer end of the box and then, when the box is elevated by its spring, to move to the other end of the box and to present new surfaces below the glass 21, so that upon each operation of the device a new set of playing cards will be visible through the glass. I have also provided means for automatically counting the number of movements made by the box as follows: Rotatably mounted in the standard 11 is a shaft 27 on which the plate 12 is rotatably mounted. Loosely mounted upon this shaft 27 is a sleeve 28. Fixed to one end of the sleeve 28 is a ratchet wheel 29 having ten teeth, and fixed to the other end of the sleeve'is a disk 30 having numbers marked on its periphery ranging from naught to nine, and fixed to the sleeve adjacent to the disk 30 is a thumb-wheel 31 for manually rotating the sleeve. The disk 30 is preferably inclosed in a stationary casing 32 having an opening therein through which one of the numbers on the disk may be seen. Fixed to the under surface of the box 16 is a spring pawl 33 designed to engage the ratchet wheel 29 and fixed to the standard 11 is a spring actuated pawl 3a designed to engage the ratchet wheel 29 to prevent rearward movements thereof. Said parts are so arranged that when the box 16 is tilted downwardly, the pawl 33 will move the ratchet wheel 29 one tooth-space and thus move the disk 30 one number space. Then, when the box is elevated by its spring, the pawl 34 will hold the ratchet wheel stationary. By this arrangement the owner of the apparatus may determine at a glance how many times the machine has been operated.

I claim as my invention.

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a standard, a body portion pivoted to the standard to tilt vertically, a series of guideways arranged within the body portion and extended longitudinally thereof, and a series of independently movable disks, one arranged in each guideway within the body portion, said disks having devices such as playing cards arranged upon their peripheries and said body portion being provided with means by which the disks may be viewed.

2. In an apparatus of the class described the combination of a standard, a body porbeanie tion pivoted to the standard to tilt vertically, a series of guide-ways arranged within the body portion and extended longitudinally thereof, and a series of independently movable disks, one arranged in each guide-way within the body portion, said disks having arranged upon their peripheries, and a spring for normally holding the body portion to one limit of its movement and said body portion being provided with means by which the disks may be viewed.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a standard, a body portion pivoted to the standard to tilt vertically, said body portion having an opening near one end at its upper side through which the interior may be viewed, a series of guideways within the body portion arranged longitudinally, a series of disks, each being independently mounted in one of the guideways, and each being designed to rest upon the bottom thereof, and to roll from one end of the guide-way to the other when the body portion is tilted, each of said disks being also provided with raised ribs on its periphery, and said body portion being provided with a cross piece adjacent to the opening therein designated to engage said ribs for the purposes stated.

4:. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a standard, a body portion pivoted to the standard to tilt vertically, said body portion having an opening near one end at its upper side, through which the interior may be viewed, a series of guideways within the body portion arranged longitudinally, a series of disks, each being independently mounted in one of the guideways, and each being designed to rest upon the bottom thereof, and to roll from one end of the guide-way to the other when the body portion is tilted, each of said disks being also devices such as playing cards provided with raised ribs on its periphery,

and said body portion being provided with a cross piece adjacent to the opening therein, designed to engage said ribs, and a transverse rib extended across the bottom of the body portion and designed to be engaged by all of the disks when they move toward the end containing said rib, for the purposes stated.

5. An improved game apparatus comprising a base, a standard connected with the base, a body portion pivoted to the standard near one end, and capable of tilting in a ver tical plane, a spring connected with the standard and in engagement with the body portion for normally holding it at one limit of longitudinal partitions within the body portion to form guide-Ways, a disk loosely mounted in each guide-way, each of said disks having a number of flat faces on its periphery, and also having transverse rounded ribs at the ends of said fiat faces, the spaces between the flat faces being provided With devices such as playing cards, said body portion being provided adjacent to the said opening therein With a transverse rib designed to engage the ribs on the disks, 10 arranged and combined substantially in the manner set forth, and for the purposes stated.

Des Moines, Iowa, Aug. 31, 1908.

FRANK O. WEGENER. WVitnesses:

RALPH ORWIG, S. F. CHRIsTY. 

